Maryam Nawaz to visit Karachi on April 24 for NA-249 election campaign

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice-President Maryam Nawaz will reach Karachi on April 24 to lead the election campaign of PML-N candidate Miftah Ismail, quoting sources, reported on Saturday.

Earlier, the PML-N leader said that she will visit Karachi for the election campaign in NA-249 by-elections. PML-N Karachi has constituted committees for the welcome of the party’s central leader.

Maryam Nawaz will arrive in the port city for three days to help election campaigning for the PML-N candidate Miftah Ismail.

Earlier, talking to media in Lahore, Maryam said that she would be going to Karachi and called upon the people of the constituency to vote for PML-N candidate in the NA-249 by-election for Karachi’s progress and development.

The election commission had issued an advance warning to Miftah Ismail, about Maryam Nawaz’s visit of the constituency.

“According to our information, Maryam Nawaz will likely to visit the constituency. The members of the national and provincial assemblies should not accompany with her during the visit of the constituency,” the ECP said in its prior warning to the PML-N candidate.

“According to the election rules, no member of the national or provincial legislature could participate in the election campaign,” according to the election commission notice.

The NA-249 seat had fallen vacant after Faisal Vawda of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) resigned from the National Assembly for his Senate seat. In the 2018 general elections, Vawda had defeated PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif in the constituency with a narrow margin.

The by election in the NA-249 constituency will be held on April 29.

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Punjab resumes physical classes for grades 9-12 from 19th

Physical classes for grades nine to 12 are set to resume in over a dozen cities of Punjab, including Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Sheikhupura, Gujranwala, and Gujrat from April 19.

Taking to Twitter, Education Minister Murad Raas announced that in-person classes for grades 9,10,11,12 will start at all public and private schools in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Sheikhupura, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot, Multan, TT Singh, Sargoda, Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, and DG Khan on April 19.

All educational institutions in these districts were closed due to high positivity rate of Covid-19 cases.

The minister further said classes will take place only on Mondays and Thursdays. “Entire Classes of 9,10,11,12 to be called on only Monday and Thursday. Since Classrooms of 1 through 8 will be empty, students can be spread over the whole school to follow SOPS,” he tweeted.

Entire Classes of 9,10,11,12 to be called on only Monday and Thursday. Since Classrooms of 1 through 8 will be empty, students can be spread over the whole school to follow SOPS. https://t.co/DzLWwdDREo

— Murad Raas (@DrMuradPTI) April 17, 2021

On April 6, a conference of education and health ministers had unanimously decided that in districts affected by the coronavirus, classes one to 8th will remain closed till April 28, whereas classes 9th to 12th will resume from April 19.

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Took action against TLP for street violence, attacking law enforcers: PM

Prime Minister Imran Khan in a series of tweets on Saturday made it clear that the government took action against the Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) after it challenged the writ of the state.

“Let me make clear to people here & abroad: Our govt only took action against TLP under our anti-terrorist law when they challenged the writ of the state and used street violence & attacking the public & law enforcers,” the premier said.

“No one can be above the law and the Constitution.”

Let me make clear to people here & abroad: Our govt only took action against TLP under our anti-terrorist law when they challenged the writ of the state and used street violence & attacking the public & law enforcers. No one can be above the law and the Constitution.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) April 17, 2021

Prime Minister Khan said: “My message to extremists abroad who indulge in Islamophobia & racist slurs to hurt & cause pain to 1.3 bn Muslims across the globe: We Muslims have the greatest love & respect for our Prophet PBUH who lives in our hearts. We cannot tolerate any such disrespect & abuse.”

Those in the West, including extreme right politicians, who deliberately indulge in such abuse and hate under the guise of freedom of speech clearly lack moral sense and courage to apologise to the 1.3 billion Muslims for causing this hurt, he maintained, demanding an apology from those extremists.

The premier also called on “Western govts who have outlawed any negative comment on the holocaust to use the same standards to penalise those deliberately spreading their message of hate against Muslims by abusing our Prophet PBUH.”

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FM departs for UAE today on three-day official trip

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi will embark on a three-day official visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) today .

During his visit, the foreign minister will meet his counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and other UAE dignitaries, the Foreign Office said in a statement.

Qureshi will also meet Pakistani diaspora and interact with local and international media.

He will hold consultations with the UAE leadership on all areas of bilateral cooperation including collaboration in trade and investment, job opportunities for Pakistani workforce and the welfare of Pakistani diaspora.

The foreign minister will also discuss regional and global issues of mutual interest. The UAE is home to the second largest Pakistani community abroad.

“Pakistan and the UAE enjoy strong fraternal ties, rooted deep in common faith and shared history and values,” the Foreign Office said. “High-level visits between the two countries have played a pivotal role in providing further impetus to strengthening bilateral cooperation and collaboration on a wide range of issues.”

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Pakistan records 4,976 fresh corona infections within 24 hrs

There was no let-up in Covid-19 related deaths as 112 more people succumbed to the virus across the country over the past 24 hours.

The number of total deaths has soared to 16,094, according to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Covid-19. The national tally of confirmed cases climbed to 750,158 as 4,976 new infections surfaced during the same period.

As many as 65,279 samples were tested, out which 4,976 turned out to be positive with a 7.62 per cent positivity rate. The number of active cases has soared to 79,102.
The total number of people recuperating from the disease stands at 654,956.

Earlier this week, Pakistan reported 135 deaths from coronavirus, making it the country’s highest death toll in a single day since June 29 last year while the positivity rate of infections was recorded at 9.73 per cent.

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Mercedes takes fight to Tesla with new car

Daimler on Thursday unveiled the electric “sibling” of its flagship Mercedes-Benz S-Class luxury sedan, taking the fight to market-leader Tesla in the battle for market share as electric car sales take off.

The EQS is the first in a family of Mercedes-Benz cars built on a dedicated electric vehicle platform built from the groundup. It will go on sale in Europe and the United States in August, then in China in January.

Sales of electric and plug-in hybrid cars in the European Union almost trebled to over 1 million vehicles last year, accounting for more than 10% of overall sales.

“We set the bar very high,” with this car, Daimler Chief Executive Ola Källenius told reporters. “Customers in this segment expect a blend of hi-tech innovation and modern luxury… and that’s what we’re trying to achieve with the EQS.”

Daimler has not revealed pricing yet for the EQS, saying that will come in the summer closer to the launch date.

In interviews and conference calls on Thursday Källenius avoided making any comparisons with Tesla, whose market cap of more than $700 billion dwarfs all other carmakers.

But with a range of up to 770 kilometres (478 miles) and a new display screen that will cover almost the entire dashboard -an optional feature – analysts see an effort to seize the initiative from Tesla, which had a head start over other carmakers and boasted a longer battery range and hallmark touchscreen infotainment system.

In a client note earlier this week, Deutsche Bank referred to the EQS as “Mercedes’ Tesla fighter” and said the car “will likely set the benchmark in terms of technical features, as well as design and quality,” for both traditional carmakers and newer entrants like Tesla.

Källenius said he expects more than 50% of customers will pay extra to get the display screen, which Mercedes-Benz unveiled in January.

At 56 inches (142 cm) the new “Hyperscreen” – which in width dwarfs Tesla’s vaunted 17-inch screen – will also feature in Mercedes-Benz’s other new electric models.

Källenius said the company would not provide forecasts for how many EQS models it aims to sell, or what sort of profit margins he expected the vehicle to generate.

But he said he had high expectations for the Chinese market, where there is “tremendous demand” for the traditional combustion engine S-Class model.

Daimler now joins rival Volkswagen AG with a dedicated electric platform. BMW will launch a dedicated platform in 2025.

Mercedes sales chief Britta Seeger said the launch of the EQS coincides with demand for electric vehicles that is growing faster than company executives once forecast.

“We thought by 2030 that half of our sales will be electric vehicles” and plug-in hybrid vehicles, Seeger said during a conference call. “What we currently see… is a stronger request of customers for EVs. We are even more positive that this jump can be a little bit faster.”

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Governor asks Sindh CM to take action against miscreants

Sindh Governor Imran Ismail has written a letter to Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah in which he urged the provincial government to maintain law and order situation besides ensuring action against the miscreants.

In its letter, Imran Ismail said that it is the government’s responsibility to provide safe and peaceful environment to its citizens.

He said that the Centre has adopted a clear stance to maintain the supremacy of law. Ismail added that miscreants are organising demonstrations and sit-ins in major cities for a few days and law enforces are facing challenges in maintaining law and order situation.

The governor asked Sindh chief minister to ensure taking legal action against the mischievous elements besides taking necessary steps to end disruption in traffic.

Regarding coronavirus, he said that the third wave of the pandemic has badly affected the nationals across Pakistan. The Centre and provincial government are working efficiently to curb the spread of the virus.

He said that the positivity rate of COVID-19 cases is low in Sindh and more steps needed to maintain the situation besides making further efforts to improve it. The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) is formulating a comprehensive strategy with the coordination of all provinces to stop the spread of the virus.

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Blinken vows ‘enduring’ Afghan ties after pullout

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken vowed on Thursday that the United States will have a lasting partnership with Afghanistan even after it withdraws all forces from the country before this year’s 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

The unconditional withdrawal — four months later than a deadline agreed with the Taliban last year — comes despite a deadlock in peace talks between the insurgents and the Afghan government and threatens to leave a power vacuum that could plunge the country deeper into violence.

Blinken, in an unannounced visit, met Afghan President Ashraf Ghani as well as senior US officials in Kabul and briefed them on Biden’s announcement on Wednesday that he was ending “the forever war”, which began in response to the 2001 September 11 attacks.

“I wanted to demonstrate with my visit the ongoing commitment of the United States to the Islamic Republic and the people of Afghanistan,” Blinken said after meeting Ghani.

“The partnership is changing, but the partnership is enduring.”

In a separate meeting with Abdullah, who is leading the Afghan government side of the peace process, Blinken said it was the start of “a new chapter that we’re writing together”.

The Pentagon has around 2,500 troops in Afghanistan from a high of over 100,000. Thousands more serve as part of a 9,600-strong Nato force, which will withdraw at the same time.

Prior to meeting Ghani, Blinken visited the US embassy in Kabul and told an audience made up mostly of soldiers: “What you and your predecessors did over the last 20 years is really extraordinary.”

The US pullout has caused consternation in Afghanistan, where citizens live in fear of daily bombings and targeted assassinations by an emboldened Taliban.

“My views are pessimistic,” said Afghan lawmaker Naheed Farid, waiting to meet Blinken at the embassy.

“It could cost us losing everything we worked and fought together for in the past 20 years and could risk overall security in Afghanistan,” Metra Mehran, a Kabul-based women’s rights activist said.

For the US, however, after 20 years and more than 2,400 deaths, enough is enough.

“We cannot continue the cycle of extending or expanding our military presence in Afghanistan hoping to create the ideal conditions for our withdrawal, expecting a different result,” Biden said on Wednesday.

The delayed withdrawal — even by just over four months — has angered the Taliban, who have threatened to resume hostilities against US forces.

“It in principle opens the way for the mujahideen of Islamic Emirate to take every necessary countermeasure,” the Taliban said in a statement released minutes after Blinken’s arrival.

The US military has not engaged in direct combat with the insurgents since last year’s agreement, but it provides vital air support to Afghan forces engaged in daily warfare.

After a phone call with Biden on Wednesday, President Ghani said Afghan forces are “fully capable” of controlling the country.

Fighting continues unabated on the ground despite months of talks in Qatar between the Taliban and Afghan government negotiators.

Turkey announced this week that it would host a separate international peace conference on Afghanistan from April 24, but the Taliban have said they will not attend it.

The US wants the conference to get the Afghan government and Taliban to agree to some form of unity interim administration and map a future for the country by consensus.

Ghani is seeking a brokered ceasefire followed by elections, while the Taliban — without being specific — want Afghanistan to become an Emirate again, ruled under Islamic law by religious elders.

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Condition of Sindh's villages worsening: PM Imran

Prime Minister Imran Khan lamented the condition of villages in Sindh, saying that the condition of its villages were deteriorating as time progressed.

The prime minister was addressing the Kamyab Jawan Programme in Sukkur where he said that instead of progressing with time, villages and rural areas in Sindh were going backwards.

The premier said he had travelled far and wide across Pakistan and had seen several areas where poverty was at large. He added that in Sindh, he had seen a lot of poverty.

The prime minister announced a development package of Rs446bn for the people of Sindh, saying that it had taken considerable difficulty in putting together the funds for the package.

"It will take a month for people to see the changes that our funds bring about for them, on-ground," he said.

The prime minister said he considered the people of every province, regardless of whether the PTI ruled there or not, as his own people. "We will focus our energies on uplifting the downtrodden people," he said. "I promise the people of Sindh that I will do everything in my power to bring about a change in your lives," he added.

The prime minister spoke about the Bundle Island in great detail, saying that no one before had bothered to realise that development there would entail jobs for thousands of people.

He said that by developing the Bundle Island, Pakistan could earn billions in revenue, provide employment to the people of Sindh and also earn foreign exchange reserves.

The premier said it was unfortunate that while the project was good to go, the Sindh government rescinded the no objection certificate it had earlier provided to the federal government to carry out development work there.

PM Imran Khan said his government had told the Sindh government that profit earned from the development on the island would be handed over to Sindh.

He hoped the Sindh government would review its decision and provide the government with the NOC to start work at the island, adding that it would increase the country's foreign exchange reserves and strengthen Pakistan's economy.

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Punjab, KP announce reopening of schools from April 19

Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Friday announced the resumption of classes 9 to 12, days after the provincial governments had closed the educational institutes in districts with a high coronavirus positivity ratio earlier this month.

In Punjab, classes 9, 10, 11, 12 will start in public and private schools on April 19 — and will take place only on Monday and Thursday — the province's education minister Murad Ras said.

The minister said the classes will resume in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Sheikhupura, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot, Multan, TT Singh, Sargodha, Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, and DG Khan.

Classes 1-8 in high-risk districts will begin studies after Eid-ul-Fitr, the minister added.

Classes will continue in all other districts across Punjab — as the government had only imposed restrictions on high-risk districts.

Examinations for classes 9-12, O, and A-Level will be conducted as per schedule, the education minister added.

KP schools

Similarly, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education Shahram Khan Tarakai said the provincial coronavirus task force had decided classes 9-12 would resume from April 19.

"It is planned to stagger classes of grade 9, 10, 11, 12 under the strict compliance of SOPs while the rest of the classes will be started from 27 April 2021," he said.

"All public and private educational institutions including cadet colleges, model schools, madaris, academies and tuition centers in the Districts of Peshawar, Nowshera, Charsadda, Mardan, Swabi, Kohat, Swat, Malakand, Dir Lower, Dir Upper, Buner, Bajaur, Khyber, Shangla, Abbottabad, Haripur, Chitral Upper, Chitral Lower, Mansehra, DI Khan, and Bannu shall commence classes for grade-9 to grade-12 from 19 April," a notification from the education department said.

Meanwhile, the remaining classes, i.e., from grade-1 to grade-8, shall remain closed till April 27, the notification said.

The districts where educational institutions have not been closed because of the COVID-19 situation shall continue to hold all classes as per standing instructions, it added.

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Pakistan beat South Africa in final T20I to claim series

Pakistan on Friday beat South Africa by three wickets in the high stakes final fixture of the four-match T20I series at the Supersport Park in Centurion and claimed the series 3-1.

Pakistan, like South Africa, suffered a middle-order collapse as they went from 92-1 to 129-7.

However, Mohammad Nawaz kept his cool in the end and was aided by some poor bowling by the hosts, allowing the tourists to cap the tour with a 3-1 T20I series win to go with the ODI triumph earlier this month.

Earlier in the innings, Mohammad Rizwan went for a duck leaving Babar Azam, 24, and Fakhar Zaman, 60, to help Pakistan stay on track — till they suffered the middle-order collapse.

Mohammad Hafeez went for 10, Haider Ali 3, Asif Ali 5, and Faheem Ashraf was sent back to the pavilion for 7.

Nawaz scored 25 and in the end, hit a six to end the match.

Earlier, medium-pace bowler Faheem Ashraf sparked a South African collapse when he took three for 17.

The Proteas, who were put into bat after losing the toss, were bowled out for 144 on what is usually a high-scoring ground.

South Africa had reached 73 for one after the early loss of Aiden Markram when Faheem had Janneman Malan caught at mid-off for 33 in the ninth over.

Faheem followed up with the wickets of South African captain Heinrich Klaasen and George Linde. He bowled his four overs in succession and did not concede a boundary.

Fast bowlers Hasan Ali and Haris Rauf took three for 40 and two for 18 respectively.

Rassie van der Dussen top-scored for South Africa with 52 off 36 balls.

In the last game, Pakistan captain Babar Azam and batsman Mohammad Rizwan steered the Men in Green to victory.

Although South Africa set a massive 204-run target, Pakistan easily chased it with nine wickets to spare and took a lead of 2-1 in the four-match series.

Babar Azam hit 122 runs, comprising a whopping 15 fours and four sixes, while Mohammad Rizwan scored an unbeaten 73 runs, with five fours and two sixes.

South Africa will be hoping that in today’s game their fielding will rise to the occasion as they let the visitors off easily in the third T20I.

 

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Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Telegram restored in Pakistan

Services of social media platforms Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp and Telegram were restored in Pakistan on Friday after being suspended for four hours.

Earlier today, the interior ministry had directed the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to block social media platforms from 11am till 3pm.

The request by the interior ministry to suspend the social media platforms was made in a letter sent to the PTA chairman.

Read more: PTA temporarily blocks social media sites in Pakistan

The ministry, in the letter, had requested the PTA to take action on the issue "immediately".

"In order to maintain public order and safety, access to certain social media applications has been restricted temporarily," PTA had said in its explanation regarding the suspension of services.

The suspension came amid protests by a religious party in the country which led to chaos and the killing of three people, including two policemen.

The protests, organised in different cities, also caused massive traffic jams and distress to the citizens.

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Reshuffles in federal cabinet Shaukat Tarin appointed new finance minister

Prime Minister Imran Khan reshuffled his cabinet on Friday, appointing Shaukat Tarin as the new finance minister and changing portfolios of several ministers.

The additional charge of the finance minister was taken back from Industries and Production Minister Hammad Azhar who has now replaced Omar Ayub as power minister.
Omar Ayub has been entrusted with the portfolio of the revenue affairs. Federal Minister Fawad Chaudhry has replaced Shibli Faraz as information minister while Shibli Faraz has been made the science and technology minister.

On March 29, the federal government replaced Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh and appointed Industries Minister Hammad Azhar as the new finance minister.

PM Khan was unsatisfied with the performance of the finance team over rising inflation in the country, Senator Shibli Faraz had said while speaking to ARY NEWS.

“PM Khan was unhappy due to inflation in the country and decided to bring in a new finance team,” he said, adding that the premier has expressed confidence over the performance of Hammad Azhar and appointed him new finance minister.

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Nawaz, Fazl discuss future strategy, agree to stick to PDM agenda

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) and Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) head Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Friday contacted Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif to future strategy including matters related to the long march.

Sources privy to the development said, both the leaders discussed the country’s overall political situation and the situation developed after resignations of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Awami National Party (ANP) from PDM.
Both the leaders agreed to move forward against the PTI government and stick to the agenda of the Pakistan Democratic Movement.

The PPP and the ANP have parted their ways with the PDM over the issuance of show-cause notice.

Earlier this week, JUI-F and PDM Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman asked the PPP and the ANP to reconsider their decision of resigning from the alliance.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) senior leader Chaudhary Manzoor had said that PPP will not reconsider their decision of quitting the opposition’s alliance.

He said this while speaking in the ARY News program ‘Off the record’.

Commenting over Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif’s bail, Chaudhary Manzoor said “Shehbaz Sharif got bail as a result of the deal.”

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‘Corona positive’ lawyer appears before CJP court

In a dramatic situation, a COVID positive lawyer on Friday appeared before the bench of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Gulzar Ahmed, reported.

As per details, lawyer Khalid Mehmood who was diagnosed with the coronavirus a few days ago appeared before CJP Justice Gulzar’s court for the hearing of the case.

Though I have been tested positive for coronavirus but appearing before the court, he was quoted as saying before the CJP.

The revelation from the lawyer created panic in the courtroom. CJP Gulzar Ahmed asked the lawyer why he has appeared before the court and risking other lives. “You should have not appeared before the court in this condition.”

Read more: “I’m COVID positive, please record my statement quickly”, witness pleads court

The covid infected lawyer was asked to leave the courtroom immediately. Later, the courtroom, rostrum and files were disinfected with the anti-covid spray.

Last year, panic prevailed in the Supreme Court as lawyers who tested positive for the coronavirus had appeared before the Supreme Court.

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PTA temporarily blocks social media sites in Pakistan

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has decided to block social media sites for four hours in Pakistan.

A temporary ban has been imposed on Facebook, Twitter, Tiktok, WhatsApp, and YouTube. They will resume working at 4pm.

The decision has been taken to maintain the law and order situation in the country.

The step comes a day after Pakistan imposed a ban on the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan. PEMRA even blocked all TV channels from providing any coverage to the banned organisation.

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Corona claims 110 more lives, 5,364 fresh infections reported in Pakistan

The novel coronavirus has claimed 110 more lives in Pakistan during the past 24 hours, surging the overall death toll to 15,982,reported on Friday.

The latest statistics of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) showed the COVID-19 has claimed 110 more lives and 5,364 fresh infections were reported during the period.

During the period the positivity rate stood at 8.31 per cent.

The health facilities across the country conducted 64,481 coronavirus detection tests, taking the total number of COVID-19 tests to 11,007,252 since the first case was reported.

On Thursday, a 22-day-old baby boy tested positive for the coronavirus at a private hospital in Faisalabad.

As per details, the infant was experiencing symptoms of fever for the past few days. Later, the parents, residents of Johar Town, took him to Allied Hospital Faisalabad where the infant was tested for the COVID-19 on April 13 and his results came out positive on the next day.

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US to announce sanctions on Russia over ‘hacking, election meddling’

The United States will announce sanctions against Russia on Thursday in retaliation for alleged election interference and hacking, American media reported.

Tensions have escalated between the two countries in recent months over a raft of issues, most recently over Russia amassing troops on its border with Ukraine.

The sanctions will affect more than 30 Russian entities and will include expelling more than 10 Russians from the United States, including diplomats, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources.

The diplomats will be targeted as punishment over allegations, denied by Russia, that it offered to pay militants in Afghanistan to kill American military personnel, the newspaper said.

The executive order will also expand an existing ban on US banks trading in Russian government debt.

Washington is also set to formally accuse Russian intelligence of carrying out the SolarWinds hack that targeted more than 100 US companies and 18,000 government and private computer networks.

The president of Microsoft, one of the companies targeted, has said the sophistication and scale of the SolarWinds attack was on a level not previously seen.

Russia has denied carrying out the attack.

Together with Britain, Australia, Canada and the European Union, the United States will also sanction eight individuals and entities over the occupation of Crimea, the Journal reported.

The sanctions come at a difficult time for US-Russia relations.

US President Joe Biden and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin held a phone call Tuesday in which they agreed to “continue dialogue”, after Biden last month described Putin as a “killer” who would “pay a price” for election meddling.

US intelligence has previously said Putin and other senior officials “were aware of and probably directed” Russia’s influence operation to sway the vote in the 2020 election in favor of Donald Trump.

More recently a Russian troop build-up on the border with Ukraine — where Kiev’s forces have been battling pro-Russian separatists since 2014 — has sparked widespread alarm and warnings from NATO.

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Religious party had 'dangerous intentions' for Pakistan: Sheikh Rasheed

Federal Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed said Thursday that the designs of a religious party that recently held protests in various cities of Pakistan, were "dangerous".

"They were adamant on coming [to the Faizabad Interchange] for the fourth time," he said, referring to the religious party's supporters. "This is why we took decisions to prevent that."

The minister paid tribute to police officers and law enforcement personnel who got injured in the clashes.

"I will visit the homes of those who were martyred and will also visit those who were injured [in the clashes]," he said.

Rasheed said the violence was unfortunate as the government was willing to negotiate with protesters. He said the government had not backed away from its promise to present a resolution of the religious party's demands in Parliament.

"We got to know during the negotiations that they [religious party] were planning a march on April 20," he said, adding that the reaction from the party after the arrest of a leader could not be justified.

"The reaction was neither in harmony with what our religion says nor what our Constitution says," he said.

The minister said the cabinet has given its approval to ban the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), adding that a summary to move the Supreme Court for the party's dissolution will be sent tomorrow to the cabinet.

He said the government will not allow any relaxation to those who spread anarchy across Pakistan, adding that their agenda will not succeed.

"No one is being allowed to go, no relaxation will be provided to them," he said.

Shortly after Rasheed's press conference, a notification was issued by the Ministry of Interior declaring the TLP a proscribed organisation.

According to a notification: "The federal government has reasonable grounds to believe that Tehreek Labbaik Pakistan is engaged in terrorism, acted in a manner prejudicial to the peace and security of the country, involved in creating anarchy in the country by intimidating the public, caused grievous bodily harm, hurt and death to the personnel of Law Enforcement Agencies and innocent by-standers, attacked civilians and officials, created wide-scale hurdles, threatened, abused and promoted hatred, vandalised and ransacked public and government properties including vehicles and caused arson, blocked essential health supplies to hospitals, and has used, threatened, coerced, intimidated, and overawed the government [and] the public and created sense of fear and insecurity in the society and the public at large."

"Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 11B(1) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, the Federal Government is pleased to list Tehreek Labbaik Pakistan in the First Schedule to the said Act as a proscribed organisation for the purposes of the said Act," the notification added.

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Foreign troops' withdrawal from Afghanistan must coincide with progress in peace process: Pakistan

Pakistan on Thursday said it is important the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan coincides with progress in the peace process after US President Joe Biden announced it’s "time to end" America’s longest war with the unconditional pulling out of troops.

The Foreign Office, in a statement, said Pakistan had been consistently supporting and facilitating the efforts for durable peace and stability in Afghanistan.

"We believe there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan and a negotiated political solution through an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned process is important for lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan," it said.

Towards this end, the US-Taliban Agreement of 29 February 2020 in Doha laid the foundation for a comprehensive intra-Afghan peace agreement including a permanent ceasefire for bringing an end to violence in Afghanistan, said the statement.

The Foreign Office hoped the forthcoming meeting of Afghan leadership in Turkey would be an important opportunity for Afghans to make progress towards a negotiated political settlement.

"We support the principle of responsible troop withdrawal in coordination with Afghan stakeholders [...] and hope the US will continue to urge the Afghan leaders to seize this historic opportunity for achieving a political settlement in Afghanistan," it said.

It stressed that Pakistan had consistently reiterated peace and stability in Afghanistan were in its interest and reaffirmed its abiding commitment for a peaceful, stable, united, democratic, sovereign, and prosperous Afghanistan.

"A meaningful engagement of the international community for promoting reconstruction and economic development in post-conflict Afghanistan is important for ensuring sustainable peace and stability," the Foreign Office's statement read.

It said that Islamabad believes another key feature in the efforts for lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan should be a time-bound and well-resourced plan for the return of Afghan refugees to their homeland and their reintegration in Afghanistan.

"Pakistan will continue to work together with the international community in the efforts for lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan," the Foreign Office added.

A day earlier, in a nationally televised address, Biden had said the US would “hold the Taliban accountable” on promises to keep international extremists from setting up base in Afghanistan.

“We will ask other countries in the region to support Afghanistan, especially Pakistan, as well as Russia, China, India, and Turkey,” he added.

Dubbed the “forever war,” the US military onslaught in Afghanistan began in response to September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks against the United States.

Now, 20 years later — after almost 2,400 US military and tens of thousands of Afghan deaths — Biden named September 11 as the deadline by which the last US soldiers will have finally departed.

Biden said the US had “accomplished” its limited original mission of crushing the international militant groups behind the 9/11 attacks and that with every passing year the rationale for staying was “increasingly unclear”.

Biden insisted there would be no “hasty exit,” but he was adamant about his decision. “A horrific attack 20 years ago [...] cannot explain why we should remain there in 2021,” he said. “It's time to end the forever war.”

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PM Imran Khan formally hands over information ministry portfolio to Fawad Chaudhry

Prime Minister Imran Khan has formally handed over the Ministry of Information to federal minister Fawad Chaudhry, Special Assistant to PM on Political Communication Shahbaz Gill said Thursday.

Gill, terming it a great choice, said Chaudhry was a popular figure due to his political consciousness, intelligence, and people-friendly style.

Thank you https://t.co/S1y6xoFSjL

— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) April 15, 2021

Earlier, Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting chairperson Senator Faisal Javed Khan had confirmed that Chaudhry had been reappointed as the federal information minister.

He congratulated Chaudhry for getting reappointed and wished him all the best.

This is the second time Chaudhry has been given the portfolio in 2.5 years. The first time was in August 2018. Subsequently, in April 2019, he was handed the science and technology ministry.

It is not clear whether he will remain the minister for science and technology.

Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan was appointed the special assistant to PM on information and broadcasting after Chaudhry, but was replaced with Senator Shibli Faraz in April, 2020.

After the Senate elections, Prime Minister Imran Khan made several changes to the cabinet and giving additional charge to Chaudhry of the information ministry was one of them.

Shortly after Khan congratulatory tweet, it was reported that Chaudhry called on Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The two reportedly discussed the political situation in the country.

PM Khan informed Chaudhry about giving him additional responsibilities, sources said.

Chaudhry is expected to receive a notification from the Ministry of Information today, the sources added.

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Petrol price in Pakistan slashed by Rs1.79

Federal Minister for Finance Hammad Azhar on Thursday said Prime Minister Imran Khan has approved a reduction in petrol prices.

The government has reduced the price of petrol by Rs1.79, following which it will be sold at 108.56 per litre from April 16.

The premier has also approved reducing the prices of other petroleum products, Azhar said, adding High Speed Diesel (HSD) would be sold at Rs110.76 per litre, after a deduction of Rs2.32.

Kerosene, after a reduction of Rs2.06 in its rates, will be sold at Rs80 per litre, while Light Diesel Oil will be available at Rs77.65 per litre.

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Prices of petroleum products likely to be slashed by up to Rs2

The government is likely to slash prices of petroleum products by up to Rs2, reported on Thursday.

The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) has forwarded a summary to the Petroleum Division seeking revision of fuel prices for the next fifteen days starting April 16 (Friday).

According to the summary, the regulatory has recommended a Rs2 cut in per litre price of petrol and diesel.

The Ogra further suggested that petroleum levy be not raised for the time being. The new prices of petroleum products are likely to be announced this evening following approval of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

If the summary is approved, the new price of petrol will be Rs108.35/litre after the cut while that of diesel Rs111.08/litre.

On March 31, Finance Minister Hammad Azhar announced a Rs1.50 per litre cut in the price of petrol while a Rs3 per litre decrease in that of diesel.

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Corona claims 118 more lives, 5,395 fresh infections reported in Pakistan

Coronavirus has claimed 118 more lives in Pakistan during the past 24 hours, taking the overall death toll to 15,872,reported on Thursday.

The latest statistics of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) showed the COVID-19 has claimed 118 more lives and 5,395 fresh infections were reported during the period.

With the latest inclusion of new infections, the number of overall COVID cases currently stands at 739,818. The positivity ratio of the COVID cases in last 24 hours was recorded at 8.34 per cent.

During the last 24 hours, 4,740 people recovered their health, taking the overall number of recovered patients in Pakistan to 646,652.

The health facilities across the country conducted 64,685 coronavirus detection tests, taking the total number of COVID-19 tests to 10,942,771 since the first case was reported.

Yesterday, the federal government had announced that coronavirus vaccination centres would operate in two shifts during the holy month of Ramzan to facilitate the masses willing to get vaccinated against the pandemic.

As per details, the vaccination centres would operate in two shifts and continue providing services after Iftar.

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Nato forces to leave together from Afghanistan by September 11

A coalition of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato)-led troops in Afghanistan will leave the country in coordination with a planned US withdrawal by September 11, Washington’s top diplomat said on Wednesday, ahead of a formal announcement of the end of two decades of fighting.

Around 7,000 non-US forces from mainly Nato countries, but also from Australia, New Zealand and Georgia, outnumber the 2,500 US troops in Afghanistan but still rely on US air support, planning and leadership for their training mission.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in Brussels that it was time for Nato allies to make good on its mantra that allies went into Afghanistan together and would leave together.

“I am here to work closely with our allies, with the (Nato) secretary-general, on the principle that we have established from the start: In together, adapt together and out together,” Blinken said in a televised statement at Nato headquarters.

“We will work very closely together in the months ahead on a safe, deliberate and coordinated withdrawal of our forces from Afghanistan,” Blinken said, standing alongside Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg,

Nato foreign and defence ministers will discuss their plans later on Wednesday via video conference.

A senior Nato diplomat told Reuters that no ally was expected to oppose US President Joe Biden’s formal announcement, expected later on Wednesday, for a complete US withdrawal of troops by Sept 11.

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New Zealand mosque shooter launches legal challenge to prison conditions, terrorist status

The mass shooter who killed 51 people in New Zealand in 2019 has launched a legal challenge seeking a review of his prison conditions and his status as a “terrorist entity”.

White supremacist Brenton Tarrant was sentenced in August to jail for life without parole for the murder of 51 people and attempted murder of 40 others at two mosques in Christchurch on March 15, 2019, the worst mass shooting in New Zealand’s history.

Tarrant, an Australian national, is the only person in New Zealand to be designated the status of terrorist.

A judicial review will be held at the high court in Auckland on Thursday to clarify the issues Tarrant wishes to raise, New Zealand court authorities said.

Preliminary information provided to court officials indicated that Tarrant wishes the court to review decisions made by the Department of Corrections about his prison conditions, and also his designation as a “terrorist entity” under the Terrorism Suppression Act.

The hearing will have no bearing on the outcome of the criminal case against Tarrant, or his conviction and sentence, the court said.

Court records show Tarrant will be representing himself.

Victim’s families and the survivor community were notified about the hearing on Wednesday. It will not be open to the public but the media is permitted to attend.

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Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan help Pakistan thrash South Africa in 3rd T20I

Pakistan captain Babar Azam and batsman Mohammad Rizwan sailed the Men In Green to victory against South Africa in the third fixture of the four-match T20I series at Supersport Park in Centurion.

Although South Africa set a massive 204-run target, Pakistan easily chased it with nine wickets to spare. The Men in Green lead the T20I series 2-1 at the moment.

Babar Azam hit 122 runs, comprising a whopping 15 fours and four sixes, while Mohammad Rizwan scored an unbeaten 73 runs, with five fours and two sixes.

The Pakistani skipper proved to the world why he is the best batsman after he toppled Indian captain Virat Kohli to become the top-ranked ODI batsman in the world.

Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan put on 197, the fourth-highest T20I partnership overall, and the highest ever in a chase, according to ESPN.

Fakhar Zaman, who came to bat after Azam was sent back to the pavilion, hit two fours to end the match.

Earlier, South Africa's top-order batsmen — Janneman Malan and Aiden Markram — gave a tough time to the Pakistani bowlers, as they hit a combined score of 118 runs.

Malan hit 55 runs off 40 balls, while Markram was able to score 63 off 31 balls, which helped the Proteas achieve the 200+ target. George Linde and Rassie van der Dussen hit 22 and 34 runs, respectively.

Hassan Ali conceded most runs, 47, from Pakistan's bowling side; however, he took a wicket for the team. Meanwhile, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Faheem Ashraf also picked up a wicket each.

Mohammad Nawaz took two wickets and conceded 38 runs.

The action for the last two T20Is has moved to Supersport Park in Centurion after the first two games of the series were played at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg.

Both sides are using the series as preparation for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup that will be played in India later this year.

In the last game, South Africa beat Pakistan by six wickets after comprehensively chasing the 140-run target set by Pakistan.

South Africa's Aiden Markram hit 54 runs off 30 balls, skipper Heinrich Klaasen scored 36, and George Linde scored 20 runs, helping the Proteas level the series 1-1.

Pakistani bowlers were hapless against South Africa batters as they managed to pick up just four wickets. Usman Qadir managed a pair of wickets while Hassan Ali and Mohammad Hasnain took a wicket each.

Pakistan reached a measly 140 for 9, courtesy Babar Azam's 50 off 50 balls and Mohammad Hafeez's 32 off 23. However, the rest of the batting lineup failed to produce many runs.

George Linde did the big damage in the Powerplay before Lizaad Williams, Sisanda Magala, and Tabraiz Shamsi joined in later on.

Squads

South Africa: Heinrich Klaasen (captain, wicketkeeper), Daryn Dupavillon, Bjorn Fortuin, Beuran Hendricks, George Linde, Wihan Lubbe, Sisanda Magala, Janneman Malan, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Andile Phehlukwayo, Migael Pretorius, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lutho Sipamla, Pite van Biljon, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne, Lizaad Williams

Pakistan: Babar Azam (captain), Arshad Iqbal, Asif Ali, Danish Aziz, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Wasim, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper), Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sharjeel Khan, Usman Qadir, Zahid Mahmood

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Govt decides to ban TLP under anti-terror law

The federal government has decided to impose a ban on the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) under the anti-terrorism law, Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed said Wednesday.

The federal minister said the decision has been taken at the Punjab government's request.

"We are forwarding a summary to the federal cabinet to impose a ban on the TLP," Rasheed said in Islamabad, as protests were held across various cities of the country.

Protests by a religious party have caused problems for the masses in major cities across the country for the past two days and have claimed the lives of three people, including two policemen. Nearly 100 policemen have also been injured in clashes with the protesters.

Speaking about the TLP's negotiations, Rasheed said the government wanted to table a resolution in the National Assembly and wanted to form a consensus on it but they (TLP) insisted on marching to the Faizabad Interchange.

"Our efforts to convince them failed. As far as the matter of Khatam-e-Nabwat is concerned, I am ready to give my life," declared the minister.

He said miscreants had snatched a rifle from a police officer and used it to fire at others in one of the protests.

The minister defended the government, saying it intended to honour the agreement made with the TLP earlier.

Regarding the FIRs filed against protesters, Rasheed said they were all filed in accordance with the law.

"I have never supported this party nor had ever met Khadim Hussain Rizvi (former TLP chief)," the minister said, adding the ban has been imposed due to TLP's "character" and not due to any any political compulsion.

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Kate Middleton confident for Prince William, Prince Harry compromise

Prince William is said to be looking to end his alleged feud with Prince Harry as Kate Middleton is "hopeful of a reconciliation".

According to The Telegraph, the Duchess of Cambridge reached out to her friends saying that it was not too late to “pull them back in”.

The brothers will meet for the first time face-to-face at their grandfather Prince Philip’s funeral after the Duke and Duchess came out with an explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey.

A royal expert has revealed that the funeral will serve as a means for the two to relive emotions of their mother Princess Diana’s funeral.

Royal expert Penny Juror told FEMAIL: "This is likely to be a very emotional and reflective time for the entire family.

"I am sure that walking behind their grandfather's coffin will bring back difficult memories for William and Harry of losing their mother.

"It will probably bring back difficult memories for their father, too.

"And I am sure it won't be lost on any of them that the last time they walked behind a coffin, the Duke of Edinburgh was there walking with them and giving them all the courage they needed to get through the day."

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Babar Azam topples Virat Kohli to become world's no 1 batsman

Pakistan’s skipper Babar Azam has dethroned India’s Virat Kohli to become the No.1 ranked ODI batsman in ICC Men’s ODI Player Rankings.

The 26-year-old Babar is only the fourth Pakistani to attain the number one position, ending Kohli’s 1,258 day-supremacy.

Zaheer Abbas (1983-84), Javed Miandad (1988-89), and Mohammad Yousuf (2003) are the only three Pakistanis in the past to attain the top spot.

Babar scored a brilliant 82-ball 94 in the last ODI, part of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League series against South Africa in Centurion, helping him to gain 13 rating points to reach 865 points and he now leads the Indian captain by eight points.

On the other hand, Left-handed opener Fakhar Zaman has gained five slots to reach a career-best seventh position after his knock of 101 in the final ODI while pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi has moved up four places to a career-best 11th place in bowlers’ rankings.

Left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz (up 29 places to 96th) has progressed thanks to their three-wicket hauls in the match.

In ICC Men’s T20I Player Rankings, wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan has jumped to 24 places to 23rd position while Nawaz (up 36 places to 28), Hasan Ali (up 22 places to 62nd) and Usman Qadir (up 24 places to 68th) have moved up the bowlers’ list.

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Pakistan’s car sales jump 31%, says Asad Umar

Pakistan’s car sales went up by 31 per cent in the first nine months of this fiscal year when compared to last year’s corresponding period, Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar said on Wednesday.

Taking to Twitter, the minister said the private sector borrowing from banks, which is billed the most important macro indicator, registered a 34pc growth during this period.

The country’s large scale manufacturing growth went also up by 7.5pc, Umar pointed out, adding, “Widespread growth visible while running a current account surplus, which unlike past makes growth sustainable.”
Car production and sales fell to zero last year in April because of the lockdowns enforced by the federal and provincial governments to contain the first wave of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

According to Pakistan Automotive Manufacturers Association (Pama), 10MFY20 proved to be one of the worst months for the auto sector as the overall car production and sales registered 52 per cent decline year-on-year basis.

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Saudi Arabia gifts Pakistan 100 tonnes of dates

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has provided 100 tonnes of dates to the Government of Pakistan as a gift.

Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki, Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan and Dr. Muhammad Khalid Usmani, Director King Suleman Relief Centre, the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, formally handed over the consignment to the Cabinet Division, Islamabad.

On behalf of the Government of Pakistan, the Cabinet Division secretary expressed gratitude to the Kingdom for the gift.

He also conveyed warm sentiments of the people of Pakistan for their Saudi brethren for their love and affection and also expressed the hope that the warm and cordial relations between the two brotherly states will continue to flourish.

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Assets beyond means case: LHC granted bail to Shehbaz Sharif

The Lahore High Court on Wednesday granted bail to PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif in the assets beyond means case.

 

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NCOC issues Ramadan SOPs amid COVID-19 third wave

The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) issued on Wednesday new standard operating procedures (SOPs) to contain the spread of coronavirus during the holy month of Ramadan.

A special meeting of NCOC was chaired for this by Asad Umar on Tuesday. According to a declaration issued by the NCOC, the forum has decided to implement “broader lockdowns”, with stringent enforcement protocols where no mobility will be allowed except in emergency situations.
Saturdays and Sundays will be observed as closed days at the national level.

All indoor and outdoor activities, including social, cultural, political, sports, and other miscellaneous events, will be banned. “Outdoor dining will be allowed from iftar till midnight, example 11:59 pm, with strict SOPs, while takeaways will be allowed,” the notification read.

Cinemas, shrines, and amusement parks will remain closed.

Amid the spread of the pandemic in the third wave, the inter-provincial transport will remain suspended for two days a week (Saturdays and Sundays) which will continue to be enforced till midnight April 25-26.

Market timings will be from sehri till 6 pm. For Taraweeh prayers, NCOC said that it should be organised in open spaces as far as possible.

The forum called for civil administration at every tier to engage ulemas and community leaders for assistance in the enforcement of COVID-19 SOPs during Ramadan.

Stringent protocols for tourism have been imposed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu Kashmir and tourist sites elsewhere.

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Corona claims 135 more lives, 4,681 fresh infections reported in Pakistan

Pakistan reported 135 deaths from coronavirus on Wednesday, making it the country’s highest death toll since June 29 last year,reported.

The latest statistics of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) showed the COVID-19 has claimed 135 more lives, taking the overall death toll to 15,754.

During the period, 4,681 fresh infections were reported from across the country.

During the period of a day, the total count of active cases was recorded at 75,034 and the positivity rate stood at 9.73 per cent.

The health facilities across the country conducted 48,092 coronavirus detection tests, taking the total number of COVID-19 tests to 10,878, 086 since the first case was reported.

In order to provide more facilities to the citizens willing to get vaccinated against coronavirus, the National Command Operations Centre (NCOC) on Tuesday sought provinces input on the opening of COVID vaccination centres in two shifts.

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US pauses J&J COVID-19 vaccine over rare blood clots

US federal health agencies on Tuesday recommended pausing the use of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine after six women under 50 given the shot developed rare blood clots, dealing a fresh setback to efforts to tackle the pandemic.

Following the news, Johnson & Johnson (J&J) said it was delaying the rollout of the vaccine to Europe, a week after regulators there said they were reviewing rare blood clots in four recipients of the shot in the United States.

The moves come after European regulators said earlier this month they had found a possible link between AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine and a similar rare blood clotting problem that led to a small number of deaths.

J&J’s single dose vaccine – most COVID-19 shots are delivered over two doses – and AstraZeneca’s low-cost vaccine are seen as vital tools in the fight against a pandemic that has claimed more than three million lives.

The White House said the pause would not have a “significant” impact on its plan to administer about three million shots per day and a total of 200 million shots before President Joe Biden’s 100th day in office.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said one person had died from the rare blood clotting condition after taking the J&J vaccine and another was in a critical condition.

Immunology experts stressed the risk posed by the J&J vaccine appeared extremely low, and that the shot remained a valuable tool against the risks of COVID-19. However they acknowledged the need for health officials to proceed with caution to understand the best ways to mitigate any risk.

“Even if causally linked to the vaccine: 6 cases with about 7 million doses (lower than the risk of clots with oral contraceptives) is not something to panic about,” Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease expert at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in Baltimore, said in an email.

“People are asking me if they should cancel their J&J vaccine appointments and I have told them not to but I know many will and this will stall progress in controlling the pandemic.”

FDA acting commissioner Janet Woodcock said it expected the pause to be a matter of days, and it was aimed at providing information to healthcare providers so that they can diagnose, treat and report such blood clots.

FDA official Peter Marks said that part of the reason for the pause was to warn doctors that administering the standard treatments for clots can cause tremendous harm, or be fatal.

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Fakhar Zaman available for third South Africa T20I

Left-handed batsman Fakhar Zaman is available for selection for the third T20I against South Africa.

According to sources, team management is hopeful that in-form Fakhar will be fit and ready for the third T20I of the four-match series.

The 31-year-old Fakhar had complained of a minor allergy in his left leg before the second T20I, therefore it was decided to rest him. Sharjeel Khan replaced him and batted as an opener.

It must be noted that the series is level at 1-1. The third T20I will be played tomorrow at SuperSport Park, Centurion.

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PPL receives Rs903m from Byco via NAB

The Paki­stan Petroleum Limited has received Rs903.218 million from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against outstanding receivables from Byco Petroleum Pakistan Lim­ited, the company ann­ounced on Monday.

The PPL informed the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) about it in a regulatory filing and said that the company would pursue for remaining over Rs253m.

“In pursuance of Rule 5.6.1 of your Rules, we hereby inform you that the company has received a pay order for Rs903.218 million from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against long outstanding receivables of the Company from Byco Petroleum Pakistan Limited,” the filing said.

“The company had recognised a provision against the debts due from Byco to the tune of the principal amount of Rs1,156.220 million. The provision will be reversed to the extent of the aforementioned amount of Rs903.218 million. The company is pursuing recovery of the remaining amount [principal as well as late payment surcharge] through NAB and the suit for recovery filed by it in the high court of Sindh at Karachi,” it added.

Financial market sources privy to the development said that NAB had last week distributed cheques amounting to Rs1.01bn amongst various state functionaries including the Sindh government, PPL, Pakistan State Oil (PSO) and Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) after making different recoveries.

A source said: “A few years ago a complaint was received from PPL, wherein it was alleged that the ministry of petroleum had allocated condensate of Hala Block to Byco, but it wilfully did not make the payments for it after the lapse of seven years. Byco COO Kamran Iftikhar Lari, however, has made plea bargain. In October 2020, he moved an application under Section 25(b) of the National Acco­untability Ordinance, 1999 before an accountability court pleading to accept his plea bargain. The NAB chairman had accepted the plea bargain and had subsequently forwarded the matter to the court for its approval.”

The spokesman for the Byco Pakistan when contacted said that the amount was actually paid by the company.

“It’s true that plea bargain deal was requested by Mr Lari, which was accepted by the NAB but the amount was actually paid by Byco,” he said.

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Biden sends Ramazan greetings, says his govt will protect rights and safety of all people

As Muslims in America prepared to hold their first fast of the holy month on Tuesday, US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden sent their greetings to those observing Ramazan in a statement that touched upon the Muslim community's contribution to the country as well difficulties faced by its members.

"Jill and I send our warmest greetings and best wishes to Muslim communities in the United States and around the world. Ramadan Kareem," said the US president in a statement.

"As many of our fellow Americans begin fasting tomorrow, we are reminded of how difficult this year has been. In this pandemic, friends and loved ones cannot yet gather together in celebration and congregation, and far too many families will sit down for iftar with loved ones missing.

"Yet, our Muslim communities begin the month of revelation with renewed hope."

Joe Biden spoke about how Muslim Americans have enriched the United States since its founding. "They are as diverse and vibrant as the America they have helped build. Today, Muslims are leading in our efforts to fight Covid-19, playing a pioneering role in vaccine development and serving as frontline health care workers.

"They are creating jobs as entrepreneurs and business owners, risking their lives as first responders, teaching in our schools, serving as dedicated public servants across the nation, and playing a leading role in our ongoing struggle for racial equity and social justice."

The president acknowledged that Muslim Americans continue to be targeted by bullying, bigotry, and hate crimes. "This prejudice and these attacks are wrong. They are unacceptable. And they must stop. No one in America should ever live in fear of expressing his or her faith. And my administration will work tirelessly to protect the rights and safety of all people."

"On my first day as President, I was proud to end the shameful Muslim travel ban, and I will continue to stand up for human rights everywhere, including for Uyghurs in China, Rohingya in Burma, and Muslim communities all over the world," he said.

"As we remember those who we have lost since last Ramadan, we are hopeful for brighter days ahead. The Holy Quran reminds us that 'God is the light of the heavens and earth', who leads us out of darkness to the light. Although our White House festivities will be held virtually this Ramazan, Jill and I look forward to resuming the traditional White House Eid celebration in person next year, inshAllah."

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PDM chief gives PPP, ANP chance to review decision to leave Opposition alliance

Pakistan Democratic Movement chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Tuesday gave the PPP and the ANP one more chance to review their decision of parting ways with the Opposition alliance.

"The PDM was not formed so that was bicker over some position or the other. We have seen many challenges through and were always able to sort things out with dialogue and mutual understanding.

"Even today, the PPP and ANP have the opportunity to review their decision," he said, as he addressed a press conference in Islamabad, alongside other leaders of the alliance, including PML-N's Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Ahsan Iqbal.

The media briefing followed a meeting of the Opposition alliance, sans PPP and ANP. The session was reportedly convened at Fazlur Rehman's residence.

It was called a day after PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari announced his party's departure from the alliance.

Both the PPP and the ANP parted ways after they were served show-cause notices by the PDM to explain why they sought the support of a government ally (Balochistan Awami Party) and got Yousaf Raza Gillani elected as Leader of the Opposition in the Senate without the alliance's blessing.

The ANP characterised the issuance of the notice as a move to tarnish the party's reputation, and the PPP expressed similar views. Bilawal reportedly tore up the notice in the party's Central Executive Committee meeting, saying that for him nothing is greater than respect.

Fazlur Rehman, in his press conference today, said that both the parties "should not have adopted such a behaviour".

He said that it was the right of the Opposition alliance to demand an explanation for the PPP and ANP's move to get Gillani appointed in the manner he was.

The PDM chief said that all political parties of the alliance have "equal status". However, the PDM does have an administrative structure as well.

"The majority of our decisions were made with agreement between all parties. Candidates for Chairman Senate, Deputy Chairman Senate and Leader of Opposition in Senate were decided by consensus," he said.

"Many times an issue ended up not being completely resolved. But we brought to the fore whatever progress was made on it," Fazlur Rehman said.

The PDM chief said that through it all, a love for Pakistan's politics and democracy always remained at the centre of the alliance's decisions.

"Even today we keep in mind that great purpose of this forum," he said.

Fazlur Rehman said that "unnecessarily" making the show-cause notices "a matter of self-esteem is not in line with the demands of politics".

"They could have called a session of the PDM as well, stating that they will explain the matter there," he said, adding: "They could have called a meeting of the steering committee."

He said that it was unfortunate that news of the show-cause notice being torn by the PPP chairman came to the fore. "The latest news is that they said who are these people to demand an explanation from us," noted Fazlur Rehman.

PDM's journey ahead

Fazlur Rehman said that the PDM "will make its decisions in Ramadan" and that there will be "no compromise on the pace of the movement".

"We will not change the pace and progress of PDM," he reiterated.

"We waited for our friends to return and will continue to wait for them," the PDM chief said.

Fazlur Rehman said that "we did not expect at all that they would cosy up to BAP this way (humein tawaqqa hi naheen thhi ke yeh BAP ko baap banaayein ge)".

The PDM chief said that the alliance is still waiting for PPP to review its decision and show political maturity and dignity. "There has to be a difference when it comes to a 35-year-old versus a 70-year-old," he added.

He acknowledged receiving the resignations from both parties, but said: "I am putting these on hold for now."

"We have responded and we expect that the demonstrate maturity in return," he said.

"We do not want to get tangled in a constant exchange of words. This is our final say in this regard," he added.

PPP's Kaira responds

Shortly after Fazlur Rehman's media talk, PPP's Qamar Zaman Kaira held his own media briefing to respond.

"No show cause notices are ever served in an alliance [...] It is not as if we broke a consensus," he said.

Kaira said that the party continues to respect Fazlur Rehman.

He insisted that the PPP had "not deviated from any agreement". The PPP leader noted that a harsh exchange of words had taken place between the PPP and PML-N, however adding: "We did not start anything."

"Fazlur Rehman has made rather inappropriate remarks. We expect that he retract these comments," Kaira said, referring to the "BAP ko baap" remarks.

He also demanded that an apology be issued to PPP and ANP on the notices being sent.

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Ramadan 2021 moon sighted in Pakistan

The moon for the blessed month of Ramadan has been sighted in Pakistan the first of Ramadan will begin on Wednesday, April 14, 2021.

A meeting of the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee was held today (Tuesday) in Peshawar to sight the crescent moon for the holy month. The meeting was held in the city after 17 years.

Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), and the Ministry of Science and Technology were also part of the meeting.

Meanwhile, zonal committees from other cities also joined the meeting virtually. Moon was sighted in various cities of Pakistan, including Hyderabad, Karachi, and Islamabad.

Chairman of Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad, had earlier said that people will observe the first fast (Roza) and Eid on the same day across the country.

The cleric had further said that all the Ulema, including Mufti Shahabuddin Popalzai, have created an atmosphere of brotherhood within the committee.

The Meteorological Department had said that the moon of Ramadan rose at 7:32am today, adding that it will be visible for over 35 hours after sunset.

The weather department had indicated a clear possibility of a moon sighting today.

This was the first Ramadan moon sighting under Maulana Azad, who was appointed by the federal government in December last year, replacing Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman.

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Govt orders action against law-breakers, suspension of cellular services

Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed has ordered action against law-breakers and necessary measures to reopen several road and entry and exits points due to countrywide protests of a religio-political party, reported on Tuesday.

The interior ministry decided to take strict action against those disturbing law and order situation, as well as ordered to suspend cellular and internet services in affected areas.
Sheikh Rasheed chaired a high-level session to review the law and order situation of the country following the protests that erupted in multiple cities being organised by a religio-political party.

The session was attended by Federal Minister for Religious Affairs, Chief Commissioner, Inspector General (IG) Islamabad, whereas, chief secretary and IG Punjab joined the session via video link.

It has been decided by the interior ministry to take strict action against the protestors who are violating the law and necessary steps to reopen the routes for traffic. Moreover, the cellular and internet services will be suspended in affected areas for 24 hours where the law and order situation worsens.

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SC rejects Justice Isa’s plea for live telecast of review petition

Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday has rejected Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s plea seeking a live telecast of the hearing on review petitions, reported.

According to details, a ten-member bench of the SC headed by Justice Umar Atta Bandial delivered the short verdict. Four out of ten judges disagreed with the decision of the review petition.

Justice Umar Atta Bandial, in his judgement, while rejecting the petition of Justice Qazi Faez Isa for direct coverage said that access to the information is the right of the masses, but this is an administrative matter.

On this occasion, Justice Qazi Faez said that he wanted to know the names of the judges who wrote the verdict and disagreed, to which Justice Umar Atta Bandial said that if you read the verdict, you will know their names.

The dissenting note was written by four judges. The dissenting note granted the request for live broadcast and said that it was a matter of public interest and to be shown live on the website.

The dissenting note also stated that the audio of the court proceedings can also be posted on the website. Later, the hearing of Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s reference review petition was adjourned till tomorrow.

After the verdict, Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s wife said in the courtroom that a prime minister was disqualified for not writing a letter, but a minister is not even given a court notice despite the contempt of court.

On which Justice Umar Atta Bandial said that two of your petitions were not fixed before us, to which Justice Qazi Faez Isa inquired as to why the petitions have not been fixed for hearing so far. Are judges subordinates to the Registrar?

It may be recalled that the Supreme Court had reserved its decision on March 18 last month to broadcast the hearing of the review petition of Justice Qazi Faez Isa live.

The court said that a brief verdict would be given on the live broadcast of Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s case.

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Corona claims 118 more lives, 4,318 fresh infections reported in Pakistan

Coronavirus has claimed 118 more lives in Pakistan during the past 24 hours, taking the overall death toll to 15,619,reported on Tuesday.

The latest statistics of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) showed the COVID-19 has claimed 118 more lives and 4,318 fresh infections were reported during the period.

During the period of a day, the total count of active cases was recorded at 76,034 and the positivity rate stood at 8.54 per cent.

The health facilities across the country conducted 50,520 coronavirus detection tests, taking the total number of COVID-19 tests to 10,829,994 since the first case was reported.

According to the statistics, no patient has declared critical, whereas, the total number of patients suffering from sensitive health condition stood up to 4,198.

Overall 638,267 people have recovered from the virus including 3,432 who have regained their health from COVID-19 during the past 24 hours.

Yesterday, Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar had said that compliance with the Covid-19 SOPs remains “very weak”, due to which pressure on hospitals is increasing.

Taking to Twitter, the minister said the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) today reviewed the Covid-19 situation, hospital admissions and SOPs compliance at a meeting in Islamabad.

 

“SOP compliance remains very weak & pressure on hospitals is increasing. Administration has been asked to ramp up compliance enforcement to avoid a crises like situation,” he said.

Briefing the media after the NCOC meeting, Special Assistant to the PM on National Health Services Dr Faisal Sultan appealed to the people to fully comply with the SOPs to avert the spread of COVID-19.

“The burden on health care system has increased following a surge in positivity ratio especially in big cities of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Kashmir,” he pointed out.

He said the process of vaccination is underway and asked the people aged above 65 to get themselves vaccinated without any prior appointment. He asked the people above 50 years of age to get themselves registered for vaccination.

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